Best electronic drum sets 2024: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers
Our expert guide to the best electronic drum kits available today - plus full reviews, buying advice and video
The world of electronic drums (which you’ll also hear referred to variously as 'e-kits' or 'electric drums') has never offered more choice to every level of player than it does in 2024. Wherever you are currently in your playing journey - from total beginner to professional working drummer - the best electronic drum sets have never been closer to replicating the experience of playing an acoustic set. From the quality of sounds to the feel of the pads, features and tech that were once only for high-end kits have trickled down to more affordable setups, meaning you can find a great kit for any budget.
There are multiple reasons you might want to invest in an e-kit: practicing drums at home without the noise of an acoustic kit; limited space meaning an electronic set is your only option; or you’re looking for reliability and control over your sound, both live and in the studio. The best electronic drums are capable of delivering all of the above.
With ever-growing options, from a range of brands and multiple price points, it can be tough knowing where to start the search for your first, or next, e-kit. Myself and the MusicRadar team have been testing electronic drums for more than two decades, we know how e-drums have evolved and what the best kits offer today.
If you’re here to learn more before you decide on the best electronic drum set for you in 2024, head to our comprehensive how to choose and FAQ sections, written by our in-house experts, explaining everything you need to know about electronic drums before you make a purchase.
There’s a link to a full review with each of our kit recommendations if you want to read even more detail and we have also captured video and audio for the majority of our top picks. We've personally unboxed and thoroughly tested every kit featured in this guide, so you know that our assessment is based on hands-on experience and backed up by years immersed in the world of e-drums.
If you’ve seen something you like in this guide and you’re on the hunt for an epic e-kit bargain this Black Friday, we're tracking all of this year's best Black Friday electronic drum sets deals so you can get the best value for money on the latest gear.
Our top picks
Best beginner
The Alesis Nitro Max supersedes and builds upon the best-selling Nitro Mesh - which was our previous pick for best beginner e-kit. While the hardware looks and feels very similar, a key Nitro Max upgrade is the module, which features sounds from the excellent BFD drum sample library. This kit was a real hit with our testing team.
Best budget
This hugely compelling offering for newcomers features a Roland dual-ply mesh snare head, pleasingly responsive bass drum and hi-hat controllers, and some of the best sounds that we’ve heard at this price point. If you're willing to spend a little more on your first kit, this is the one we would recommend.
Best sounds
The slick touchscreen module is the headline here, loaded with BFD3 and 45GB worth of multi-layered sounds. It’s the equivalent of hooking your e-kit up to a powerful laptop and we found it to be an absolute joy to play. We've never played an e-kit that comes closer to recreating the sound of an acoustic kit.
Best sub-$/£1k
With Roland's patented, tuneable, dual-ply heads across the snare and toms, plus a standalone kick drum pad, the TD-07KV is one of the most affordable, no-compromise setups in the V-Drums family. A ideal step-up or home practice kit.
Best for live
The EFnote 3X is a fantastic 10-piece kit created by ex-Roland and ATV employees. Aside from the striking looks that wouldn't look out of place on stage, standout features include a brilliant hi-hat with optical sensors and a stylish module with limited but excellent-quality sounds.
Best non-mesh
Yamaha consistently makes some of the very best e-drum sets on the market. The DTX8K-X is no different with a module that delivers 40 fantastic kit presets modeled on Yamaha's top-quality acoustic drum sets, all of which can be augmented with a range of effects, while the TCS silicone heads offer a credible alternative to mesh.
Best overall
For this kind of money one would expect some pretty groundbreaking stuff. Thankfully, Roland hasn't failed to deliver with the formidable Soundworks-compatible, Roland Cloud-connected V71 module. We love how responsive the digital pads are too, particularly the PD-14DSX snare, complete with digital throw-off.
Best for beginners
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
🥁 The Nitro max serves two types of drummer: if you’re a beginner drummer there is no better kit for the money right now. It sounds great, the module is a breeze to use and the mesh pads feel natural; the Nitro Max would also serve as a great home practice kit for acoustic kit drummers.
✅ Buy if you're a beginner on a budget: At the $/£400 price-point there is no better mesh-headed kit on the market right now, and the features are a step above anything else we've tested.
❌ Avoid if you need sturdier hardware: While the Nitro Max is more than usable, there are kits out there that deliver more robust pads and racks.
Build quality ★★★★☆
Ease of setup ★★★½
Sounds ★★★★½
Module ★★★★½
Overall ★★★★½
The lowdown: The Alesis Nitro Max supersedes and builds upon the best-selling Nitro Mesh kit, until now one of our favourite beginner electronic drum sets. While the hardware looks and feels very similar to that kit, a key Nitro Max upgrade is the module, which is the first of its kind to feature sounds from the excellent BFD drum sample library.
Configuration & build quality: The Nitro Max configuration includes a 10" dual-zone mesh snare, three 8” single-zone mesh toms, a bass drum tower with 6-inch pad - that I found worked just fine for my double pedal - a 10” dual-zone crash (which is choke-able), two additional single-zoned cymbals (one for hi-hat and ride cymbal), hi-hat controller pedal and a complete four-post drum rack. It’s a tried and tested set-up that I already loved on the previous model, and ticks all the right boxes on this new model in terms of feel and delivering an authentic playing experience.
My only reservation with the snare pad is that, being two-zone, if you want to play a cross-stick sound, you’ll need to assign it to the rim, which can be a touch fiddly. And, disappointingly, the single-ride cymbal pad means there is no separate bell zone.
Set-up: Everything you need to build the Nitro Max comes in one box, with instructions easy to follow. It took me a while - and plenty of patience - to get it set up exactly how I wanted it. There’s plenty of adjustment available in what is actually a very compact setup, but it took a few tries to get all four legs level and all pads where I wanted them whilst also eradicating excessive wobble.
Sounds: I found the BFD sounds to be noticeably better than those I’ve tried on other kits at this price point, particularly on kicks and snares which I found to be both rich and dynamic. The kit comes ready to go with 32 pre-ordained kits, but there’s space for 16 additional kits that you can spec up yourself from the available BFD sounds. This is a great way to customise a kit to your exact specifications. Additionally, the Nitro Max comes bundled with BFD Player software, which not only makes it easy to record your kit, but also gives you tools for deeper editing of sounds and access to an even bigger library of sounds.
Module: A key upgrade to the module is the inclusion of Bluetooth connectivity. This feature is common across most new e-kit launches, however there are fewer kits at this price point with that functionality, so it’s a great addition for drummers who love to play along to tracks on a smart device, or watch online lessons. I found connecting to be fast and reliable.
Further highlighting this kit’s beginner-friendly credentials, the package comes with 100 free lessons, a 30-day trial to drum-learning app Melodics, and a 90-day subscription to our favourite online drum lessons platform, Drumeo. For learning, jamming and improving on a budget, there is no better package right now. And if you’re a more advanced drummer looking for a cheap practice kit, I believe this would make a convenient and affordable home setup.
“I found the Alesis Nitro Max to be a very capable beginner or home practice kit. It’s well stocked with features and you’re unlikely to outgrow it for some time. The BFD sounds really set this kit apart at this level, and while there are a few concessions - like some limitations with pad zones - it’s a very solid kit for the money.”
Read more: Alesis Nitro Max review
Best on a budget
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
🥁 Like the Alesis Nitro Max, this is definitely a beginner-focused kit, but one that comes with Roland’s hallmarks of quality, including a fantastically sturdy, streamlined rack system. You will pay a little more for the name, but it won’t break the bank.
✅ Buy if you want quality build: Roland's hardware is superior to every other brand, so for a beginner kit that feels sturdy and built to last, this is the one.
❌ Avoid if you're on a strict beginner budget: Roland has built a strong reputation, but that reliability and trustworthyness will cost you.
Build quality ★★★★½
Ease of setup ★★★★☆
Sounds ★★★★½
Module ★★★★½
Overall ★★★★½
The lowdown: Roland's latest addition to the V-Drums family is a hugely compelling offering if you're just starting out. There are two flavours of TD-02, with the KV model offering a Roland dual-ply mesh head on the snare pad and a more robust 4-post rack. Both kits have neat and responsive bass drum and hi-hat controller pedals, and studio-quality sounds that are some of the best we’ve heard at this price.
Configuration and build quality: The kit I reviewed is the higher-level kit of the two in the TD-02 range. Both kits centre around the same TD-02 drum module, plus four drum pads and three cymbal pads for crash, ride and hi-hats. Hi-hat and bass drum are controlled by foot controller pedals rather than a tower and separate bass drum pedal, which isn’t our favourite method, but Roland executes it well with responsive pedals.
The headline feature of the 02KV setup is the tensionable mesh-headed PDX-8 snare pad which you’ll find on various Roland kits further up the ladder. You can play head rim and cross-stick sounds, which you don’t get with the Alesis Nitro Mesh. I have plenty of experience with Roland’s mesh heads and they are absolutely the market leaders.
The rack is slightly different on the KV model too, offering four points of contact with the floor rather than just three on the standard model. There’s a clear improvement in stability between the two, and the size means I was able to go into more detail with pad positioning.
Everything from the module, to the space grey tubing of the rack and cabling feels noticeably high quality and a step above other kits I’ve tested in this price bracket. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Roland at this point.
Set up: It took me about 45 minutes to set the kit up from scratch, which is about standard. Everything slots together logically and is a breeze to gear up the kit ready to play.
Our only reservation is that all adjustments require a drum key. Higher-end kits mostly employ thumb screws, which are less fiddly, easier to grip nd just more convenient in a hurry. I get it that concessions must be made somewhere to keep the price down, but this felt like the kit’s main shortcoming. That said, once you have things where you want them, it’s mostly a fit and forget setup.
Sounds: There’s deliberately not a huge range of kit sounds on offer here, with mostly acoustic kits and a small handful of electronic and percussion options – but they’re generally great, with plenty of variation and a nice depth to each kit; in fact, they’re some of the best native Roland module sounds I’ve heard in a long time. There’s not much scope for editing or creating your own kits, but this keeps the focus on playing the drums, rather taking you through a minefield of button bashing.
Module: My main observation is that the module is very easy to use. It’s pretty minimalist in terms of buttons - the focus here is on finding the right sound, selecting your kit and getting on with playing.
The TD-02 module also has Bluetooth capability for jamming to your music collection - a feature I've enjoyed seeing roll out to kits at the cheaper end of the spectrum - although you will need an adapter which comes at an additional cost. Add to this some comprehensive coaching functions for developing players and it’s clear that Roland has considered who, how and where this kit is designed for.
There are more affordable options out there (see the Alesis Nitro Mesh above), just as there are kits with more sounds and features, however during my tests I discovered that the TD-02KV represents a cohesive package that you’ll want to sit down at months (and hopefully years) after you’ve bought it.
“I found the TD-02 represented a step up from more generic entry-level electronic drum sets with plenty of usable features that you’d usually see higher up the food chain. It feels and sounds great and while you’ll pay a bit more than some brands, you’ll receive a solid and reliable platform that I’m confident will take you from beginner to intermediate.”
Read more: Roland TD-02KV review
Best for sounds
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
🥁 Drummers looking for leading technology, the best sounds available and a kit that’s going to be ahead of the curve for years to come, but at a sensible price.
✅ Buy if you want the best sounds available: If you want to play incredible sounds through an e-kit without needing a separate laptop and software, the Strata Prime is for you, with full-fat BFD built right into the module.
❌ Avoid if you're short on space: With larger pads, a 20"x14" bass drum, 10-pieces overall and a substantial rack, you'll need plenty of room to comfortably house this kit.
Build quality ★★★★½
Ease of setup ★★★★☆
Sounds ★★★★★
Module ★★★★★
Overall ★★★★★
The lowdown: It’s an incredibly exciting time in the e-kit world right now - seemingly every new launch brings with it some sort of fresh innovation, from wireless triggers to top-end features packed into budget kits. When I first sat behind this new flagship Alesis kit, I knew it was another game-changer. The main story here is the slick touchscreen module which comes loaded with the full version of BFD3 and 45GB worth of sounds. It’s the equivalent of hooking your e-kit up to a powerful laptop. This extra processing power and storage capacity means that you have at your fingertips an abundance of multi-velocity-layered and multi-mic’d samples all captured in top-level studios.
Configuration & build quality: There’s a full complement of mesh heads on this kit and they’re not dissimilar to acoustic dimensions with a 20” bass drum with full 14” deep shell, 8”, 10”, 12” and 14” toms and a 14” snare drum pad. Alongside the drums are Alesis’ triple-zone ARC cymbals, complete with 360-degree playable surface which we found to be incredibly satisfying and consistent to play. There’s no compromise on sizes here either, with a 14”, single-piece hi-hat, two 16” crash cymbals and an 18” ride delivering a supremely realistic layout.
The red swirl finish with black hardware and gold tension rods may not be for everyone - and I’d love to see more finish options available down the line - but I liked it personally.
The three-sided rack is adjusted using thumb screws at each of the chunky plastic clamps. Getting the kit set up took a while because of the larger dimensions and higher pad count, but once everything was mounted I took great pleasure in dialling in the Strata Prime to match my usual acoustic kit layout.
Sounds: Thanks to a combination of the mesh pads and those densely-sampled BFD sounds, I found the kit to be a total joy to play. Every dynamic of my playing was reproduced effortlessly and authentically and almost every kit is usable right from the box. As with the desktop version of BFD, there are loads of tweaks that can be made to each kit and individual sounds, from EQ and compression, to loading sounds on top of each other using the super cool Stacks feature. This is a kit where you’ll find a configuration you love right from the box, or you can spend hours dialing in your ideal rig. Take it from me, messing with settings and dialling in your sounds is addictive.
Module: Having a full colour touchscreen at your fingertips rather than a splay of rubber buttons and a tiny screen is revolutionary. Yes it took me a while to locate everything I needed, but I’m so used to interacting with my phone and tablet that tapping and scrolling around was second nature. I found diving deep into sound editing much more agreeable on this kit thanks to the larger screen real estate and touch interface compared to, say the TD-27 module of my own Roland VAD-507 kit.
A recent firmware update has added Bluetooth audio to the kit (one of our only real gripes at launch was the presence of Bluetooth MIDI only). So the only place the Strata Prime loses marks is the fiddly approach to getting cross-stick working. We go into more detail on that in our full review.
Whether you’re looking for a super slick practice kit, or something you could use in a professional live or recording scenario, I think this kit is the most future-proofed but realistically-priced electronic drum set on the market right now.
“Alesis has hit the sweet spot between forward-thinking features and realistic pricing, and all at a very high level. It’s not without minor niggles, but overall, the Strata Prime is pushing in the direction that drummers are screaming out for with the best sounds around, a beautiful touchscreen module and excellent hardware.”
Read more: Alesis Strata Prime review
Best under $/£1,000
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
🥁 Confident beginners, intermediate drummers and acoustic players with a bit of budget for a home practice kit.
✅ Buy if you're short on space: Not only is the TD-07KV a well-equipped beginner to intermediate kit, it also has a pleasingly compact footprint, making it ideal for small spaces.
❌ Avoid if you want a stand-mounted hi-hat: The TD-07KV comes with a hi-hat pedal controller. You'll need to pay out for the 07KVX if you want stand-mounted hats.
Build quality ★★★★½
Ease of setup ★★★★☆
Sounds ★★★★½
Module ★★★★★
Overall ★★★★★
The lowdown: With Roland's patented, tuneable, dual-ply heads across the snare and toms, plus a standalone kick drum pad, the TD-07KV is one of the most affordable, no-compromise setups in the V-Drums family, and one of the best intermediate kits we've tested in a long time. Couple the feel of the mesh pads with the expertly-captured sounds and you have the ideal platform for getting started or developing your playing, on a kit that will last you many years to come.
Configuration & build quality: There have been no compromises made with this kit. In the box you get a full complement of Roland dual-ply mesh heads. For your bass drum there a vertical bass drum pad played by a bass drum pedal (which isn’t included). The cymbals are dual-zone and chokeable, too.
I love how compact this kit is - it’s ideal for small apartments or the corner of a busy bedroom. The PDX-8 and PDX-6 pads are slim, so you can really optimise their positioning, and because they’re so shallow you can get your legs closer too.
Set-up: As with most Roland kits I’ve tested, everything comes clearly labelled and neatly presented in the box. Instructions are clear and easy to follow and there are no complaints from me about the building process. With everything mounted to the rack - which took me about 30 minutes, pads then connect to the module via a loom cable with a single connector, helping to avoid the common spaghetti look you get with other kits.
Sounds: You get 143 sounds on the TD-07 module spread across 20 preset kits from the Roland factory, and there’s a decent variation between acoustic, electronic and percussion sounds, with most delivering a fair degree of realism. You can add effects, ambience and tweak tuning, dampening and more. There’s space to store up to 50 separate setups so you can set to with creating your own custom kits, although the module can be a little fiddly to master so make sure you factor in some time to learn it.
Module: The TD07 module was brand new for this line, rather than borrowed from another series and I love how compact it is, only delivering the functionality you really need.
On-board Bluetooth allows you to jam with your music library wire-free. And the Bluetooth is native to the module rather than needing an adapter (at extra cost) like you see with other Roland models.
This kit has a fair weighting towards learning, which will appeal to budding players (and their parents). Built-in coaching modes will help keep your timing in-check and Roland has seen fit to bundle 40 free online Melodics lessons with each kit. Finally, there's a USB MIDI/audio interface which will allow you to connect to your computer for recording.
“The TD-07KV could be a very capable kit for a beginner who is confident they will stick at it, an established player who is returning to the kit after a break, or a great practice and demo recording kit for an acoustic kit player. It delivers both convenience and connectivity, all for under a grand.”
Read more: Roland TD-07KV review
Best for live
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
🥁 Drummers looking for an incredibly capable high-end kit that focuses on high-quality sounds and striking looks over unnecessary frills. This is a kit I would happily play live.
✅ Buy if sounds are most important to you: While you don't get a huge number of sounds native to the module, they are the best we've heard at this price point.
❌ Avoid if you hate menu diving: There's a learning curve to the EFnote module, so if you want a plug and play kit you'll need to shop elsewhere.
Build quality ★★★★★
Ease of setup ★★★★☆
Sounds ★★★★½
Module ★★★★★
Overall ★★★★½
The lowdown: With decades of experience working for Roland and ATV, EFnote’s product designers have hit the ground running since launching the brand in 2018. Both the technology and striking visuals across their range has made EFnote a brand to watch, and despite being one of their cheaper kits, we think the 3X is fantastic and just the tip of the iceberg of what EFnote offers.
Configuration & build quality: This 10-piece kit features mesh heads across the snare pad, bass drum tower and all four toms. Each pad sports a shallow shell in a textured black oak finish which pairs nicely with the grey rims and EFnote’s beautiful signature grey cymbals. I found the stand-mounted 14” hi-hat pad to be a standout feature of this kit in my testing. It uses optical sensors to map the motion of the cymbal in 3D, which produced incredibly realistic responses and reactions to my playing. The other cymbals - 2x 16” triple-zone crashes and an 18” triple-zone ride - felt fantastic under my sticks too, with a re-assuring heaviness, just like a real metal cymbal
Everything on this kit feels built to survive the long-haul. If ever you were looking for an e-kit to take out on the road, EFnote’s gear has so far proven to be more than capable.
Set-up: The leftfield approach of mounting pads to a trio of tripods is certainly innovative and provides cleaner looks out front, but having set up countless rack-mounted kits in the past, this one took me a minute to get my head around and really get the kit set up to a point where I was happy with both positioning of pads - which aren’t light - and overall kit stability. Once there though, I was very happy with how the kit felt. Although I wasn’t (and still am not) completely sold on the look.
Sounds: The full stereo on-board sounds, although relatively limited (16 preset kits with space for 34 user kits), are fantastic and almost 100% usable out of the box without any editing. There’s a kit on the module to suit almost every setting you can imagine. And if you can’t find it, you can create one, dialling in a range of effects including reverb, ambiance and EQ, as well as muffling and tuning.
Module: The minimalist module - complete with touchscreen and a single physical control - is certainly a break from the mainstream and, despite some niggles I experienced with screen sensitivity and some pretty involved menu diving, there’s plenty to shout about too.
I love how much sound editing capability there is at your fingertips. And that’s where this kit shines - once you’ve taken the time to dial in a fantastic sound, you almost set and forget. In the end, I was treating this kit like my acoustic kit: ready to go at all times with a sound that I love every time I put my headphones on.
The design is great too, the brushed aluminium chassis blending perfectly with the kit, and I like the approach of mounting the module off the hi-hat stand where it’s tucked away, but accessible as and when I needed to make adjustments.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think EFnote have really nailed the visual aspect of this kit, breaking up the logjam of pretty standard designs in the e-kit world, with awesome looking pads and module. The hardware is seriously impressive too; particularly the cymbals which have not been bettered for me since I reviewed this kit. The module has a couple of light niggles I’d like to see fixed and the tripod mounting system proved divisive, but this is a kit that sounds awesome and feels great to play.”
Read more: EFnote 3X review
Best non-mesh kit
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
🥁 Drummers with a reasonable budget who want a reliable kit from a known quantity in e-drums. Yamaha’s hardware is bullet proof, the birch shells look amazing and we’ve run out of superlatives to describe the sounds and tweakability of the module.
✅ Buy if you want simplicity: The DTX-PRO module is very intuitive and easy to use, so you can dial in your sounds quickly and get playing.
❌ Avoid if Bluetooth is a deal-breaker: You won't be able to stream music or follow online lessons wirelessly with this kit.
Build quality ★★★★½
Ease of setup ★★★★☆
Sounds ★★★★★
Module ★★★★½
Overall ★★★★½
The lowdown: While Yamaha's music instrument manufacturing is only a small aspect of their wider business, it has consistently made some of the very best acoustic and electronic drum sets on the market. The DTX8 series is no different, especially when it comes to this e-kit which is, in our opinion, one of the best Yamaha electronic drum sets to date. And if you’re looking for an alternative to mesh or rubber pads, Yamaha’s TCS (Textured Cellular Silicone) material is a tried and tested alternative.
We've not reviewed the Yamaha DTX8K-X, however apart from the pad material, it's the same kit as the DTX8K-M, which we have reviewed. If you want to read our impressions of TCS, we reviewed the Yamaha DTX6K3 which features TCS pads.
Configuration & build quality: If you’re looking for a kit that sounds great in the box and shouldn’t require further expansion, the DTX8K-X has everything you need. It’s a 9-piece kit, comprising 3x toms, 1x stand-mounted snare, a bass drum tower, stand-mounted hats, 2x crash pads and a ride. There’s room to add a couple of extra pads should you need them, but this felt like a substantial setup that you’re unlikely to outgrow. Those beautiful birch shells add a degree of class to the kit, too. And they look as good in the flesh as they do on Yamaha’s website.
Overall build quality is fantastic. Yamaha is known for its road-worthy acoustic drum hardware and they’ve carried this through to this e-kit model.
If you're not a fan of the feel of mesh or rubber pads, this set comes with Yamaha's own TCS heads, which deliver a more natural stick rebound. You'll pay more for TCS, so you may prefer to go with the Remo mesh-headed DTX8K-M, but if TCS does it for you - and take it from me, TCS rocks - then I'd say it's worth it.
Set-up: Getting the kit ready to rock is, like most other e-kits, a breeze once you have the rack in place. The DTX8K-X is two- rather than three-sided too, which leaves loads of room for you to position your hi-hat stand and snare drum pad (also stand-mounted) exactly where you want it. And, naturally, having less tubing to content with reduced my set up time!
Sounds: The DTX8K-X, much like any electronic drum set, is nothing without its module. The DTX-PRO module delivers 40 fantastic kit presets which are modelled on some of Yamaha's top-quality acoustic drum sets, and with space for 200 user kits onboard too, you'll have endless hours of fun crafting your own killer sets for any style of music you can think of.
As excellent as I think the factory presets are, the fun comes in creating your own kits, from switching or layering sounds, to adding your own custom samples, applying effects or tweaking the mix. Many parameters can be tweaked on the fly using pots on the front of the module - I had loads of fun dialing in my sounds and was able to arrive at some outstanding tones very quickly. Yamaha has always been known for delivering fantastic e-kit sounds, but I think this module takes them to another level.
Module: The DTX-PRO module also enables you to quickly add or edit the ambience, compression or effects which are influencing your drum tones - giving you ultimate tweaking power over many aspects of your sound.
On-board you’ve also got 10 training functions, 37 play-along tracks, audio and MIDI via USB plus a professional-grade headphone amp. It’s a real step up.
Our only complaint? Where’s the Bluetooth, Yamaha? Everyone else is doing it!
“The DTX8 edges close to its top-end big brother the DTX10 in terms of features, but it will cost you around half the price. I love the quality of samples and deep editing capabilities, while the birch shells make for a seriously good-looking package.”
Best e-kit overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Pro drummers who want a sound-rich home or studio kit for recording and performance and that is currently the best kit Roland offers. There’s a VAD full-shell version if you want to complete the aesthetic.
✅ Buy if you want the best e-kit tech out there: From the digital hi-hats, ride and snare drum, to the module loaded with sounds, editing functionality and digital modeling, this is a true flagship kit.
❌ Avoid if your budget is limited: Let's face it, this level of tech costs, and there are plenty of great alternative kits out there for a fraction of the price.
Build quality ★★★★★
Ease of setup ★★★★½
Sounds ★★★★★
Module ★★★★★
Overall ★★★★★
The lowdown: This is Roland’s all-new flagship kit, powered by their best-ever module, the colour screen-toting V71 (which replaces the TD-50X) and a brace of digital pads. The V71 forms the backbone of three new configurations under the ‘7 series’ banner: TD716, which is the focus here, plus the more streamlined TD713 and the VAD716, which features full acoustic shells. The V71 boasts an overhauled sound set that includes multi-layered, round-robin sampling and playback, plus DW’s Soundworks software for computer-based drumming - something not seen before from Roland, but brilliantly executed. The module also features WiFi connectivity for linking up with Roland’s Cloud for access to even more sounds. The cherry on top is Bluetooth connectivity.
Configuration & build quality: The TD716 is a six-drum, three-cymbal plus hi-hat setup. The KD-18 bass drum on the TD-716 is a real-shell, 18-inch drum, plus you get new PD-10X and PD-12X tom pads which have been re-designed with streamlined rim bumper and a four trigger cones system beneath the mesh head to reduce hotspots and improve trigger response.
You also get an overhauled digital snare drum, complete with digital throw-off (which has been ported over from the DWe kits) so you can physically switch snares on and off and add or remove tension. It’s honestly one of my favourite things about this kit - truly cool tech. The drums are joined by VH-14D digital hi-hats, CY-18DR digital ride cymbal, and a pair of CY-16-RT crashes. Everything is then mounted to a sturdy MDS-STG2 rack with internally mounted cables. Roland has always been known for the quality of its hardware, and the TD716 is no exception. I’d have no qualms about this kit surviving years of playing, and multiple breakdowns and setups.
Set-up: Ok, so this is a big kit, but actually it doesn’t take any more or less time to rig up than any other kit in this guide. The majority of my time was spent extracting the pads from their boxes and getting the sturdy MDS-STG2 rack how I wanted it. The rack comes partially assembled with the cabling already routed internally, which speed up the process and ultimately makes the finished product look much neater. Once that’s erected and planted firmly on terra firma, adding pads and mounting the module is a doddle. There’s plenty of tweakability in the cymbal and tom arms, so getting the kit exactly as you want it is no problem. And with standalone bass drum, snare drum and hi-hat, getting that all-important kick-snare-hat trio dialled in is easier than ever.
Sounds: The presets housed within the V71 module are genuinely impressive to play, and just as with the Alesis Strata Prime I tested not long before this kit, it doesn’t take long to forget that you’re playing sounds derived from a module rather than a computer. There’s authenticity and variation, whether you play jazz, funk, rock or metal. I particularly like the snares, which I found to be dynamic and lively, with acoustic-style ring, while the bass drums deliver plenty of body and character. Thanks to the round-robin sounds, you’re hearing a slightly different sound every time you play a pad - taken from a pool of literally thousands - so you get true authenticity, responsiveness and dynamism.
These sounds are genuinely gig-worthy - useable, realistic and enjoyable to play. There’s no learning curve to getting a great sound either, because the preset kits have been so well thought out from the off.
Module: The crisp, colour display makes it easy to familiarise yourself with the V71 module. It’s fairly densely populated, with a range of sliders, buttons and jog wheels on the top deck, but it’s actually very easy to navigate if you’re already familiar with the Roland ecosystem. I’ve grown to like the touchscreen of the Alesis Strata Prime, however, I’m still a sucker for the reassurance of physical, tactile controls.
Then there’s that screen. The layout of the controls and accompanying visual representations - from the graphic display of kit setups to the plugin-style representation of effects processors - make me feel like I was operating a pro-level drum module.
Importing kits from the Roland Cloud is easy too, with simple option prompts between the selection buttons and cursor. It’s a quick process, convenient and will no doubt continue to evolve.
“Not only has Roland come up with a gig-worthy solution to getting realistic acoustic sounds from an electronic drum kit, but it’s done so impressively. These aren’t just ‘good for a module’, they’re genuinely useable, realistic and ultimately very enjoyable to play. Throw in Soundworks compatibility from within the module and we’ve got to use the phrase ‘game-changer’ for the second or third time this year.”
Read more: Roland TD716 review
Also consider
The above electronic drum sets are the very best options that we recommend you spend your hard-earned cash on, but these aren't the only models we've reviewed. We have over 80 e-kit reviews on MusicRadar and we regularly test new models to ensure we're recommending only the absolute best. Here are some notable mentions from our recent testing...
Drum Workshop DWe ★★★★½
The best (and only) e-kit offering wireless triggering
DW’s new hybrid drums look set to change the game in years to come. Two key technologies make this kit possible: 1) latency-free wireless triggers and 2) DW’s vast Soundworks software which you run via a laptop. While there's definitely room for improvement, we can see wireless triggers and a shift to using laptop-based sample software for sound generation becoming the norm in years to come.
Read more: DWe review
Alesis Strata Core ★★★★½
A cut-down Strata Prime for around $/£1,000 less
With the introduction of the Strata Core, it looks like Alesis’ biggest competitor to the Strata Prime is currently coming from itself! This is a stripped back version of the Prime, both in terms of module size and capability, and the size of the pads. As with the Prime, there’s little not to be impressed with here, from the extremely playable sounds to the slick and easy user interface. You’ll save a chunk of change, too.
Read more: Alesis Strata Core review
EFnote Pro ★★★★½
A top-flight kit that's ready for the stage
If you want a multitude of configuration options, the EFnote Pro is a well thought-out kit that looks totally at home on-stage and is available in a range of sizes. It's easy to use too. You'll need to work at the sounds to get them dialled, but this is a very capable e-kit.
Read more: EFnote Pro review
Roland VAD706 ★★★★½
The best e-kit money can buy if you want real shells
Roland’s VAD (V-Drums Acoustic Design) electronic kits are works of art. Featuring digital hi-hat, ride and snare pads, the 706 offers the kind of playability and natural feeling that Roland has made its name upon. Amongst the myriad sound-editing options on the formidable TD-50X module, building a ‘signature’ sound has never been more thorough
Read more: Roland VAD706 review
Roland TD-07DMK ★★★★½
A great all-rounder for small spaces
The most affordable set in the TD-07 range is also supremely compact. You get the deep editing features and Bluetooth functionality of the TD-07 module, plus all mesh pads, but without too many extra frills. It's a great kit for learning, too.
Read more: Roland TD-07DMK review
NUX DM-8 ★★★★½
A great value e-kit package
Taking all the best bits from the competition, including responsive Remo mesh heads, a spacious rack and fully-loaded and stylish module, the 9-piece NUX DM-8 is a fantastic value e-drum package.
Read more: NUX DM-8 review
Millenium MPS-1000 ★★★★☆
The best sub £1,000 kit with real drum shells
In recent years, the trend for acoustic shells that incorporate electronics has emerged, and Millenium’s MPS-1000 kit brings this concept in at an extremely affordable price point. While the native sounds are't the best, where we think this kit will really shine is as a MIDI controller for third-party sounds.
Read more: Millenium MPS-1000 review
Gewa G3 Studio 5 ★★★★☆
A great mid-range option
The 5-piece G3 Studio 5 is the latest addition to Gewa’s expanding digital drums line-up. It's the most affordable of the bunch, but still doesn’t come cheap. The module shares many features with its pricier siblings, including Bluetooth audio and MIDI, importing of user one-shot samples, recording to USB memory, multi-fx and more, so we found there was plenty to play with out of the box.
Read more: Gewa G3 Studio 5 review
Yamaha DTX10K-X ★★★★½
Another kit we'd happily use live
The entirety of the DTX10 range is stunningly impressive - both visually and sonically - offering the user a truly enjoyable playing experience. The kit offers ultra-realism, with 'positional sensing' on some pads bringing out more dynamics in our playing. The DTX-PROX module delivers heaps of tonal personality and a range of usable effects.
Read more: Yamaha DTX10K-X review
What’s coming up?
The electronic drum set world moves incredibly fast with a raft of new releases landing over the last few years. We’ve reviewed the majority of new launches already on MusicRadar, however there’s a small handful we are yet to get our hands on.
Back in April 2024, Zildjian announced their surprise entry into electronic drums. The Alchem-E series comprises three configurations, all centred around a module loaded with samples of Zildjian’s huge cymbal range. At launch, Zildjian CEO John Stephans said: “The longtime pain point of electronic drumming has been the rubber cymbal pads that don’t look, feel or respond like real cymbals. As a company that’s been pioneering cymbal technology for over 400 years, solving the challenges of electronic drumming was the next logical evolution in our company’s journey.”
It’s certainly a compelling argument. While we’re not convinced they’ve cracked the formula on their first go, we’re keen to see where they go next and excited to see more innovation. We haven’t reviewed an Alchem-E kit yet, but our request is in and we’ll update this page when we have.
Alesis have also launched a couple of a surprise addition to the Nitro range. They kicked off with the nitro Max, but have since added the Nitro Pro into the mix, which includes beefed up pads between toms, snare and bass drum tower and a sturdier steel frame than the Max. We're currently in the process of reviewing this kit.
How we test electronic drum sets
The MusicRadar electronic drum set review process is editorially independent and not influenced by any third parties.
Our experts personally test every kit that we feature in this best electronic drums guide. Review samples are usually sourced directly from the manufacturer or via a local distributor. Sometimes review samples are supplied by retailers.
If we haven’t reviewed something it’s usually due to availability, but you can rest assured we’re in talks to get the kit to our testing studio as soon as possible.
We test electrinic drum sets in a variety of locations - at our testing studio in Bath, UK, in our own homes and home studios, or in rehearsal rooms.
Each kit we test is unboxed from scratch and we put them through as many real-world scenarios as possible. Testing usually takes place over a minimum two-week period. Our expert e-kit testers evaluate the instrument against the following criteria:
- Configuration & build quality: Here we assess the physical feel of the pads/cymbals and the response of the playing surfaces. Are the components - such as wing screws, cymbal arms, ball and socket joints, module mounts - of an adequate quality and designed to last?
- Ease of use/setup: How easy is the kit to construct out of the box? Once built, how easily can the kit be adjusted to fit the setup needs of the average drummer? Is the module user-friendly? How easy is it to connect pads to the module? Is there an opportunity for expansion with more pads? Is there also USB/MIDI connectivity for recording?
- Sounds: What level of quality are the supplied sounds? We’re not necessarily looking at quantity here. A large number of sounds is often an attempt to cover up a lack of quality. We’re also looking at the variety of sounds on offer, and the level of editing functionality for those sounds.
- Other features: What additional features come complete with the kit or module and how well do they work? For example, many e-kits now feature Bluetooth connectivity, but how reliable is it and how easy is the connection process? Is it possible to add your own sounds to the module? If so, how easy is this process?
This enables us to produce accurate, well-balanced and real-life electronic drum set reviews to help you easily figure out whether the kit you’re interested in really is the best choice for you.
Read more about how we test music making gear and services at MusicRadar.
Why trust us
☑️ MusicRadar established 2007
☑️ Over 5,000 reviews on-site
☑️ 80+ e-kits reviewed
MusicRadar first launched in 2007 and has been an authority on electronic drums ever since, rigorously testing the majority of key launches since day one. The site is run by a diverse team of passionate musicians who live to gig, record and jam, alongside a core group of trusted specialist freelance writers. We understands what players need, because we’re players ourselves, and we test from this perspective.
Our team have been testing music gear for 17+ years, constantly refining our methodology, delving deeper into products and drawing on our experience of what has come before to understand today’s products better than anyone.
Our testing team includes:
- Expert reviewers with decades of combined hands-on experience testing, playing and owning a wide range of electronic drum sets and with a deep understanding of how e-kit technology has evolved.
- Industry professionals who have worked in the drum/music industry for decades, including Editor positions at leading drumming magazines and websites.
- Our team also includes drum teachers, function drummers, band drummers and players who have worked in drum shops.
"I have been working in the drum industry since 2004, holding various roles within drum media, including Editor of the UK’s best-selling drum magazine, Rhythm, which I did for 7 years until 2016. Over the last two decades I have been tuned into the electronic drum market, covering key e-kit launches, attending trade shows (such as NAMM, the London Drum Show and the now defunct MusikMesse) and playing and testing countless kits from every brand. Since originally writing this best electronic drum sets buyer’s guide in 2018, it has been my job to keep this page up-to-date, accurate and helpful. With a young son at home, I currently have no gigs in the calendar, so I get my drumming fix behind an e-kit in my home workshop."
Current e-kit: Alesis Strata Prime (long-term loan), NUX DM-8 (personal kit)